News Flash

NORRISTOWN, PA – Five outstanding projects and their creators were honored last night at the Montgomery Awards celebration in the John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove. This annual program, sponsored by the Montgomery County Planning Commission, recognizes the best in planning and design, advocacy, and environmental stewardship in Montgomery County and acknowledges the high-quality work and commitment of communities, organizations, and professionals.

The five projects receiving awards were Cricket Flats in Lower Merion Township, Schellhase Commons at Ursinus College in Collegeville Borough, Schwenksville Borough Hall & Community Complex in Schwenksville Borough, Whitemarsh Station in Whitemarsh Township, and Wissahickon Headwaters Stream & Riparian Restoration in Upper Gwynedd Township, which received the 2021 Environmental Stewardship Award.

This year marks the 54th anniversary of the Montgomery Awards program. Since its beginning in 1967, 227 awards have been presented throughout Montgomery County. Over the years, many types of projects have been awarded, including residential, office, and commercial developments; redevelopment projects; community revitalization efforts; transportation improvements; historic preservation projects; and open space and park planning. All of these winning projects are best practice examples of planning and design in the county.

“All of these award-winning projects demonstrate the true value of vision and collaboration in creating exceptional places in Montgomery County. These projects are excellent models of transformation and sustainability. All of our winners touch on the goals and themes of Connected Communities, Sustainable Places, and Vibrant Economy contained in Montco 2040: A Shared Vision, Montgomery County’s comprehensive plan,” said Dr. Valerie A. Arkoosh, Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners.

Cricket Flats

This exceptional infill project in Lower Merion Township received a 2021 Montgomery Award in recognition of transit-oriented development concept, context-sensitive design, and collaborative public process. The project created an appealing 5-story mixed-use building on Cricket Avenue in downtown Ardmore, just a short walk from the Ardmore Regional Rail station. This development has enhanced the area through a design approach that blends the building into the neighborhood and adds significantly to an inviting, vibrant streetscape that enriches walkable downtown Ardmore.

Schellhase Commons at Ursinus College

This outstanding adaptive reuse project in Collegeville Borough received a 2021 Montgomery Award in recognition of successful adaptive reuse, creative architectural and site design, and significant community impact. The project preserved a beloved campus building while creating an attractive, contemporary student center that offers students and the community a café, bookstore, and meeting space and serves as a new gateway to the college, welcoming all and integrating Ursinus more meaningfully with the community.

Schwenksville Borough Hall & Community Complex

This outstanding adaptive reuse project in Schwenksville Borough received a 2021 Montgomery Award in recognition of vision and collaboration, successful adaptive reuse and design, and positive community impact. The project, which transformed a former firehouse into a new borough hall and provided an inviting public plaza, streetscape improvements, and open space enhancements, has created a community focal point and gathering space that connects with popular community destinations and provides substantial revitalization benefits to the borough.

Whitemarsh Station, an exceptional infill project in Whitemarsh Township, received a 2021 Montgomery Award in recognition of contemporary design concept, collaborative planning, and innovative stormwater management. This development, consisting of 23 single-family zero-lot-line homes, demonstrates the value of vision and public-private partnerships. The project, which has created a unique neighborhood that offers the privacy of single-family detached home living, an impressive rain garden, and the luxury of associated maintenance, can serve as an excellent alternative model to townhouse developments.

Wissahickon Headwaters Stream & Riparian Restoration, an outstanding environmental project in Upper Gwynedd Township, received a 2021 Environmental Stewardship Award in recognition of restoring and stabilizing the stream channel at the headwaters of the Wissahickon Creek, controlling streambank erosion and sedimentation, and conducting a collaborative process with many public and private partners. The project, which reconnected the stream channel with its floodplain along 1,775 linear feet of the Wissahickon Creek, has transformed a once eroded, channelized, and degraded headwater stream into a functional and attractive environmental amenity.

To download photos of each project, click here.

Visit www.montcopa.org/MontgomeryAwards for more on the 2021 winners, the awards program, and previous award recipients. 

Media Contact: Rita McKelvey, rmckelve@montcopa.org, (610) 278-3753